Insecticide applicator for grain bins

ABSTRACT

An insecticide applicator for grain bins consisting of a pipe nipple fixed in a portion of said bin to establish communication between the interior and exterior thereof, a nozzle affixed to the inner end of said nipple and positioned centrally over the grain surface of said bin, and a pressurized insecticide container adapted to be interconnected with the external end of said nipple, said nozzle being adapted to apply said insecticide uniformly over the grain surface in said bin.

United States Patent Inventors Vaughn 1. Moss 1005 Nebraska; Garth A.Sharp, 1301 Nebraska, both of Mound City, Mo. 64470 Appl. No. 874,333

Filed Nov. 5, 1969 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 INSECTICIDE APPLICATOR FORGRAIN BINS 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 239/271, 220/87, 239/276. 239/282, 239/309 Int. Cl A62c 31/22Field of Search 239/271,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Trompeter Barber Martin HenriksonRoberts Wing Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Attorney-John A. HamiltonABSTRACT: An insecticide applicator for grain bins consisting of a pipenipple fixed in a portion of said bin to establish communication betweenthe interior and exterior thereof, a nozzle affixed to the inner end ofsaid nipple and positioned centrally over the grain surface of said bin,and a pressurized insecticide container adapted to be interconnectedwith the external end of said nipple, said nozzle being adapted to applysaid insecticide uniformly over the grain surface in said bin.

lNSlECTlCliDE APPLICATOR lFOlR GRAIN BllNS This invention relates to newand useful improvements in insecticide applicators, and has particularreference to an insecticide applicator especially adapted to treat thecontents of a grain bin such as is commonly used for the storage ofgrain.

While it is of course well-known that bin-stored grain should be treatedperiodically with insecticides to prevent insect damage and preserve thegrain, there are also well-recognized problems in connection with suchtreatment. For example, many insecticides are applied in the form of aliquid spray to the top surface of the grain in the bin, and to assure auniform coverage of the grain area it is usually necessary that aworkman actually enter the bin and walk around on the grain surface. Notonly is this a time-consuming and hence costly process, but someinsecticides, or the fumes thereof, are harmful to human beings, so thatthe process can also be dangerous. Also, while many insects do notnormally penetrate more than a few inches below the grain surface, andwhile the nature or quantity of spray applied can be adjusted topenetrate into the grain to this depth, it is also known that the mereuncovering of the bin to admit a workman, and the concurrent admissionof light, causes the insects to burrow deeper into the grain to escapethe light, thus requiring insecticides which penetrate deeper, or moreinsecticide. Some insects, notably weevils, congregate in the bottom ofa bin, particularly in zones thereof having large concentrations ofdirt, chaff, and the like. Such insects are usually combated by aheavier-than-air gas, released at the top of the grain bed and settlingtherethrough by gravity. Such gases are extremely dangerous to humans,and are commonly applied in pellet form, the pellets being pushed intothe grain bed by a workman at the surface, and operable to release thegas only slowly, or after a predetermined time delay, to give theworkman time to leave the bin. Safety regulations require two men toadminister this treatment, so that one could assist the other in theevent either should be overcome by the gas.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is the provision of aninsecticide applicator for grain bins which solves all of theabove-enumerated problems, in that it provides automatically for uniformcoverage of a grain bed by an insecticide spray, is equally effectivefor use with either liquid sprays or gases, does not require the entryof a workman into the bin at any time, does not require the uncoveringof or admission of light to the bin, and provides for the application ofa predetermined quantity of insecticide which has been calculated to benecessary for proper treatment under any given set of conditions. Thelatter provision is extremely valuable in insuring adequate treatmentwhile at the same time avoiding overapplication and hence wastage of theinsecticide.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency,dependability, and convenience of operation, and adaptability for use inbins of various shapes and types.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical-sectional view of the upper portion of a grain binhaving an insecticide applicator embodying the present inventionoperatively associated therewith, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line ll-ll ofFIG. 1.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the drawing,and the numeral 2 applies generally to a grain bin, shown fragmentarily,having a cylindrical sidewall 4 and a top wall 6 of frustoconical formsecured around its lower edge of the upper edge of sidewall 4 andproviding a central filling opening 8 and its upper end through whichgrain 10 may be poured into the bin. It is generally recommended thatthe bin be filled only to a point just below conical top wall 6 thereof,as shown, in order to allow a workman to enter the bin through opening 8to spread the grain evenly over the horizontal area thereof. Opening 8thus must be wide enough to permit the entry of a man. Said opening isprovided with a removable cover 12 to prevent rain from entering thebin.

The insecticide applicator forming the subject matter of the presentinvention is, in this particular instance, mounted centrally in cover12. As best shown in FIG. 2, said applicator includes a tubular nipplel6 sealed in and extending through cover 12, a nozzle 18 mounted at theinner end of said nipple, and a pressurized container 20 for insecticideadapted to be interconnected with the outer end of said nipple.

Nipple 16 is disposed normally to the plane of cover 12, extendingthough a hole 22 formed therefor in said cover. The outer end of saidnipple is secure nonrotatably in the base portion 24 of a flange member26, said flange facing cover 12 with a gasket 28 interposedtherebetween, and said nipple is secured in place by a washer 30 and nut32 threaded thereon at the interior side of said cover.

Container 14 constitutes a metal can or the like for containing aninsecticide, and is provided with an externally threaded neck 34 whichis hermetically sealed by a normally imperforate but rupturable closurewall 36. If the insecticide is gaseous, it may simply be introduced intothe can in compressed form. If the insecticide is liquid, it isintroduced into the can together with a propellant gas such as freon, inthe manner of the widely used aerosal dispensers used for many differentproducts. It will be understood that containers 14 containing varioustypes of insecticides, and each containing a measured amount ofinsecticide predetermined to be necessary for a single treatment of abin of given size, will be made available.

The outer end of nipple 16 has an internally threaded socket 38 formedto present a tubular piercing member 40 projecting axially into saidsocket. Thus when threaded neck 34 of container 20 is threaded intosocket 38, member 40 pierces clo sure wall 36 as shown, whereby toestablish communication between the interior of the container and thebase 42 of the nipple. The container neck seats against a gasket 44 inthe bottom of the socket 38, to prevent leakage around said neck.

Nozzle 18 consists of a tubular body member 46 threaded on the inner endof nipple l6, and having a bore 48 communicating with bore 42 of thenipple, said body termlnating at its lower end in an externally conicalformation 50 disposed coaxially with said body member, an a tubularnosepiece 52 threaded on said body member and having a reduced orifice54 at its lower end. lnwardly of said orifice, said nosepiece is ofhollow conical form, as at 56, and seats against the conical formation50 of the nozzle body, grooves 58, usually of spiral form, being formedin the face of formation 50 to establish communication between orifice54 and an annular chamber 60 formed between body 46 and the nosepiece atthe base of formation 50. Bores 62 formed radially in body 46 establishcommunication between body bore 48 and chamber 60. Thus insecticide fromcontainer 20 passing through nipple 16 passes through bores 48 and 62 ofthe nozzle body into chamber 60, and hence through grooves 58 andorifice 54 to the interior of bin 2, in the form of a generally conicalspray if the insecticide is in liquid form. In general, the totalincluded angle of the spray cone is determined by the included angle ofthe conical portion 50 of the nozzle body and the mating conical surface56 of the nozzle nosepiece, and can be varied by proper selection ofthese angles. Applicants make no claim of invention as to this type ofnozzle, that actually shown merely being illustrative of the fact thatnozzles provided predetermined spray angles are available.

It will be seen from consideration of FIG. 1 that if nozzle 18 isdisposed above the central point of the bed of grain 10 in the bin, andif the spray angle thereof is properly selected with respect to itselevation above said grain bed, then the entire surface of the grain bedwill be sprayed evenly and uniformly, as desired for best treatment andfor most economical usage of the insecticide. The diameter of the spraycone, at the grain bed, should be equal to the diameter of the grainbed. lf the spray cone were narrower, the central portion of the grainbed would be sprayed to an unnecessary or excessive degree, while itsedge portions would receive a deficient amount of the spray, or none atall. If the spray angle were wider, some of the spray would impinge onsidewall 6 of the bin, or on conical top wall 4 thereof, depending onthe bin shape, and flow down said walls into the grain. Thus the edgeportions of the grain bed would receive excessive amounts ofinsecticide, and the central portion would receive deficient amounts. Ofcourse, if the insecticide is in gaseous form as it emerges from thenozzle, the spray angle of the nozzle is unimportant, and the nozzlecould in fact to dispensed with.

It is obviously not necessary that the applicator be mounted inremovable bin cover 12 as shown, although this location is convenient inthe particular bin shown, especially in providing easy access to allportions of the applicator. It is important only that nozzle 18 bedisposed centrally of and above the grain bed, and any convenientportion of the top bin wall could thus be utilized for mounting nipple16 if cover 12 is not disposed centrally of the bin. In some bins, thefilling opening and its cover are disposed at one side of the bin ratherthan centrally thereof.

The advantages of the applicator shown and described are substantial. Noworkman need ever enter the bin during or immediately after anyapplication of insecticide, thus eliminating the health hazard attendantto the breathing of insecticide fumes. This advantage is particularlyimportant when the insecticide constitutes the heavier-than-air gasescommonly used for weevil treatment, such gases being especiallyhazardous to humans. Since no workman need enter, cover 12 may be leftin place so that no light enters the bin. This, as previously noted,prevents surface insects, commonly combated by liquid insecticides, fromburrowing deeper into the grain bed to escape the light, andconsequently permits effective treatment with a smaller amount ofinsecticide, since greater amounts are required to penetrate deeper intothe grain bed. Proper selection of the position and spray angle ofnozzle 18 insures uniform application and hence maximum effectiveness ofa given amount of insecticide, and hence provides further economy ofinsecticide consumption as compared to hand applying methods. The use ofprecharged pressurized containers 20, each filled with the precisequantity of insecticide calculated to be required for a single treatmentof the bin to which it is to be applied, both insures application of theproper amount of insecticide, adequate but not excessive, and alsoobviates any need for related, on-the-site powerspraying equipment, suchas motors, compressors, and the like. Said container is simply screwedinto socket 38 whenever treatment is deemed necessary, with no furtheroperation or human attention being necessary. The container may simplybe left in position for indefinite periods after it is exhausted, oruntil treatment is again required, to act as a seal preventing the entryof rain or the like into nipple 16.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of ourinvention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes ofstructure and operation could be made without departing from the spiritof the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An insecticide applicator for use in combination with a grain binhaving a bed of grain therein and having a top wall beneath which thesurface of said grain bed is disposed, said applicator comprising:

a. a tubular nipple sealed in said top bin wall to provide a passagewaybetween the exterior and interior of said bin, said nipple beingprovided at its outer end with a socket communicating with the borethereof, a container for insecticide containing an amount of insecticideadequate for a single treatment of the grain in said bin, and in whichsaid insecticide is pressurized, said container being provided with adischarge neck insertable longitudinally into said socket, said neckhaving a closure member constituting a rupturable wall,

c. a rigid piercing member fixed to said nipple and projecting axiallyinto said socket whereby to enter said neck and pierce said closure wallwhenever said container neck is inserted into said socket,

d. means for releasably retaining said container neck in said socket,and e. sealing means preventing leakage of insecticide between said neckand said socket.

2. An insecticide applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said socketis internally threaded and said container neck is externally threadedwhereby to provide said releasable retaining means, and wherein saidsealing means constitutes a gasket interposed between said containerneck and the base of said nipple socket.

1. An insecticide applicator for use in combination with a grain binhaving a bed of grain therein and having a top wall beneath which thesurface of said grain bed is disposed, said applicator comprising: a. atubular nipple sealed in said top bin wall to provide a passagewaybetween the exterior and interior of said bin, said nipple beingprovided at its outer end with a socket communicating with the borethereof, b. a container for insecticide containing an amount ofinsecticide adequate for a single treatment of the grain in said bin,and in which said insecticide is pressurized, said container beingprovided with a discharge neck insertable longitudinally into saidsocket, said neck having a closure member constituting a rupturablewall, c. a rigid piercing member fixed to said nipple and projectingaxially into said socket whereby to enter said neck and pierce saidclosure wall whenever said container neck is inserted into said socket,d. means for releasably retaining said container neck in said socket,and e. sealing means preventing leakage of insecticide between said neckand said socket.
 2. An insecticide applicator as recited in claim 1wherein said socket is internally threaded and said container neck isexternally threaded whereby to provide said releasable retaining means,and wherein said sealing means constitutes a gasket interposed betweensaid container neck and the base of said nipple socket.